Best of Both Worlds

Weekly Schedule

Online students take classes both at their home high school, and through NCSSM Online, and may take one or two NCSSM Online classes per semester. Each student’s week will look a little different, depending on their home high school schedule and which NCSSM Online courses they are taking. 

Academic Year

The Online program follows a semester schedule for the academic year, with courses offered in the fall and spring semesters. Many courses have a required weekend once or twice each semester where students visit the NCSSM-Durham or NCSSM-Morganton campus to work with their classmates and teacher and socialize with other students in the program. 

Events

The academic year is punctuated by a number of different events bringing students to NCSSM. These events are fun opportunities for Online students to meet each other and their instructors, collaborate with their peers, and participate in fun activities. 

Welcome Day

All newly accepted students and families visit NCSSM for a course fair and information sessions on our program. Online students and families have the opportunity to meet faculty, staff, and administrators. Welcome Day takes place each April. After Welcome Day, students register their course interests.

Orientation

All new juniors attend a summer orientation and stay overnight at NCSSM to build community and set their goals for the next two years, meet other Online students, form or join clubs, and step up to NCSSM academic expectations and opportunities.

Scholar Development Course

Students are introduced to virtual learning, NCSSM’s tech tools, and NCSSM’s academic expectations through our required Principles of Scholar Development, Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills course. Offered in two-week sessions in the summer, the course introduces students to research studies in social psychology — as a means to reflect on their resilience and goals for learning.

College Fair

NCSSM holds a college fair — with many college representatives, as well as sessions on financial and college planning — at both NCSSM-Durham and NCSSM-Morganton. Online students are invited to attend on either campus.

Family Day

Family Day, held during fall Online Weekends, is a time for families to meet their student’s teachers and families of other Online students.

On-campus weekends

NCSSM Online courses include Saturday visits to NCSSM-Durham or NCSSM-Morganton (once per semester, or twice for some courses), which foster student collaboration. These visits are typically scheduled in late September, early November, mid-February, and mid-March. 

Recognition Ceremony

We conclude the year with a formal ceremony to recognize seniors in the NCSSM Online program. Students receive a certificate and/or chancellor’s medallion, depending on the requirement.